Methods of operating a gaming table wager sensing apparatus are disclosed. A method includes storing, in a first token sensor assembly, a state of the first token sensor assembly based on a sensed presence of a token. The method also includes associating a first player position with the first token sensor assembly and the state of the first token sensor assembly. Further, the method includes transferring, to the sensor memory component of the first token sensor assembly, a desired state of the first token sensor assembly based on the state of the first token sensor assembly. The method also includes enabling a number of light sources of the first token sensor assembly based on the desired state of the first token sensor assembly stored in the sensor memory component of the first token sensor assembly. Associated apparatuses and systems are also disclosed.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of operating a gaming table wager sensing apparatus, the method comprising: storing, in a sensor memory component of a first token sensor assembly, a state of the first token sensor assembly based on a sensed presence of a token; associating, with a first controller, a first player position with the first token sensor assembly and the state of the first token sensor assembly; transferring, from the first controller to the sensor memory component of the first token sensor assembly, a desired state of the first token sensor assembly based on the state of the first token sensor assembly, the desired state of the first token sensor assembly transferred from the first controller via at least one additional token sensor assembly; and enabling a number of light sources of the first token sensor assembly based on the desired state of the first token sensor assembly stored in the sensor memory component of the first token sensor assembly.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sensing the presence of the token including: projecting light from a number of chip-reading lights of the first token sensor assembly to reflect off the token; generating a signal with a light receiver of the first token sensor assembly responsive to detecting reflected light off the token; and transmitting the signal to the sensor memory component of the first token sensor assembly.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving a state of each of a number of serially coupled token sensor assemblies, including the first token sensor assembly, at a second controller; and transmitting the state of each of the number of serially coupled token sensor assemblies from the second controller to the first controller.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein receiving the state of each of the number of serially coupled token sensor assemblies occurs one at a time at the first controller.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising causing the state of at least one of the number of serially coupled token sensor assemblies to change.
6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising causing the state of each of the number of serially coupled token sensor assemblies to shift to an adjacent token sensor assembly.
7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising causing a number of light sources at one of the number of serially coupled token sensor assemblies to be enabled indicating placement of a wager at at least one of the first player position and at least one additional player position responsive to detecting the state thereof.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein causing the number of light sources to be enabled includes flashing the number of light sources according to a predetermined pattern.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing and the transferring each occur using discrete elements of the first token sensor assembly without executing software by the first token sensor assembly.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving data and power at each of a number of serially coupled token sensor assemblies, including the first token sensor assembly, through serial connections therebetween.
11. A gaming table apparatus, comprising: a number of token sensor assemblies, each token sensor assembly of the number of token sensor assemblies configured to: detect and store at a memory component of the token sensor assembly a state of a presence of a token placed on the token sensor assembly; set, via the memory component, a state of a number of light sources of the token sensor assembly based on the presence of the token on the token sensor assembly; and shift the state of each of the number of token sensor assemblies to adjacent token sensor assemblies to be received by a token sensor controller.
12. The gaming table apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the token sensor assembly is further configured to cause indicator light sources at the token sensor assembly to be enabled responsive to detection of the presence of the token.
13. The gaming table apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the token sensor assembly is further configured to initiate a light source below the token to pass through a translucent cover and reflect light off of a bottom of the token to be received by a token sensor receiver of the token sensor assembly.
14. The gaming table apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the token sensor assembly is further configured to cause a one-bit memory element in the token sensor assembly to store the state received from a prior token sensor assembly in the number of token sensor assemblies.
15. The gaming table apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the token sensor assembly is further configured to cause the one-bit memory element in the token sensor assembly to store the state received from a token sensor receiver with the token sensor assembly.
16. A wager sensing system, comprising: a number of token sensor assemblies; a controller coupled to the number of token sensor assemblies and configured to: store, in a sensor memory component of a first token sensor assembly of the number of token sensor assemblies, a state of the first token sensor assembly based on a sensed presence of a token; associate a first player position with the first token sensor assembly and the state of the first token sensor assembly; transfer, from the controller to the sensor memory component of the first token sensor assembly, a desired state of the first token sensor assembly based on the state of the first token sensor assembly, the desired state of the first token sensor assembly transferred from the controller via at least one additional token sensor assembly; and enable a number of light sources of the first token sensor assembly based on the desired state of the first token sensor assembly stored in the sensor memory component of the first token sensor assembly.
17. The wager sensing system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the state of at least one of the number of token sensor assemblies to change.
18. The wager sensing system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause a number of light sources at one of the number of token sensor assemblies to be enabled indicating placement of a wager at at least one of the first player position and at least one additional player position responsive to detecting the state thereof.
19. The wager sensing system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the state of each of the number of token sensor assemblies to shift to an adjacent token sensor assembly.
20. The wager sensing system of claim 16 , wherein each token sensor assembly of the number of token sensor assemblies is configured to receive data and power via a serial connection.
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July 7, 2020
May 17, 2022
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